


in sickness and in health

by waspfactor



Category: Assassination Classroom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medical, Blood, Conflict of Interests, Developing Relationship, Dissection, M/M, Medical Examination, Minor Character Death, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Steppe Culture (Pathologic)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:09:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27352501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waspfactor/pseuds/waspfactor
Summary: the doctor sent from the capital dresses weird and has no regard for his hometown's practices. gakushuu thinks catching the plague might be preferable to working with him.(or, a medieval doctor au)
Relationships: Akabane Karma/Asano Gakushuu, Asano Gakuhou & Asano Gakushuu
Comments: 1
Kudos: 49





	1. colonisation

**Author's Note:**

> its MY fic and i get to decide the special interest >:)) plague doctor au bcos i said so!!! (cw: medical procedures, minor character death (may change), dead bodies (human n animal), extreme illness) stay safe friends
> 
> heavily inspired by the video game 'pathologic' but no prior knowledge of the game is necessary to read this fic! if u wanna learn more about pathologic (wouldn't recommend playing it), watch hmbomberguy's video entitled 'pathologic is genius and here's why' on youtube

It came out of nowhere; the worst ones always do. He’s read his father’s old books, the ones from the old mayor’s time. He’s seen the death logs and symptoms and treatments and illustrations.

The mayor, a man of education many moons ago, could only do so much, could only give out so much advice. Hell, _he_ could only do so much. Had he’d been older, he would have his degree by now, he could _actually_ help. A young man with no real qualifications holding old medical journals is not a comforting sight for the sick, surprisingly enough.

The mayor was smart but prideful, like himself. He didn’t want to ask for outsider help, don’t need _help-_ especially not from a stranger. Normally, Gakushuu would agree. The town was self-sufficient. In the end it was Gakushuu who convinced him.

_“Father,” His voice was scratchy from disuse. “I-, please. We cannot continue like this. We are dying, entire neighbourhoods have been wiped out. I fear my knowledge is wearing thin.” He had practically begged. The mayor had turned around from the window, a pained look on his face._

_“I’ve sent a pigeon to the capital already.”_

The new doctor was set to arrive today. They were to meet with the mayor and the real doctor of the town to find their feet before going out and seeing what they could do. Gakushuu pondered briefly if he would meet the new doctor. Surely their paths would cross.

He’s in the baker’s house today, their eldest son has taken ill. He knows the boy, went to school with him. A hard worker, compassionate and cooperative. Guilt twangs within his body. He doesn’t deserve this.

He takes blood from his veins and pipettes it into a separate container to analyse later. The baker’s boy doesn’t speak but gives a warm, watery smile, golden eyes dull. His symptoms are in line with the early stages of the disease, a small silver lining he muses cynically. He cannot cure it, but he can try to treat it for now.

He sets a thin vile of syrup the chemist brewed up and exactly 3 triangular pills on the bedside table. “Take a pill every 8 hours. If you feel a temperature arising, drink all of the syrup at once. Have a bucket nearby, it has a foul smell.” He instructed.

The boy nods and takes a pill, chasing it up with a large pitcher of water. His mother waits in the door frame, she’s a frail old thing and she wears worry in her face. “How is he, doctor?”

Gakushuu hasn’t the heart to get into how he’s _technically_ not a doctor. “It is the plague,” He admits, watching as her face falls. “But it is early yet. I have medicine that can alleviate some symptoms.”

“Oh, my poor boy…” She weeps, moving over to her son’s bedside.

“There is a new doctor arriving soon. From the capital. They will be able to assist further,” He supplies, feeling his stomach churn. “I will come back tomorrow. Continue to drink water.”

The baker’s son nods, a brave look compared to his mother’s helpless one. “Thank you.”

Gakushuu waves before descending the stairs. It’s days like these that make him question his choice of profession. He needs fresh air.

The bakers are on the main street, once a bustling part of the town, is now deathly quiet. The people who are out give him a respectful wave before scurrying off, away from him and the plague.

It is early afternoon and also the week but Gakushuu finds his hand going to his breast pocket and pulling out a thin cigarette. He slides out a match and strikes it, heat exploding into his hands. He takes a long drag and closes his eyes. It’s been a while.

“ _You shouldn’t be doing that here,”_ A muffled voice says and Gakushuu near enough jumps out of his skin. He turns his head slowly, to see where the voice came from and it’s a… birdman… thing? “ _This house is burdened with the plague._ ”

It’s well dressed, a long trench coat and top hat. Golden goggles stare back at him, soulless. “Pardon?”

“ _This house has the plague. You are ruining the air quality here, making it worse. Leave.”_ It waves its arms, motioning for him to leave. Gakushuu feels himself becoming irritated as he deliberately takes another drag.

“Miasma theory is no longer widely accepted within medicine. It’s archaic to still follow that school of thought while there have been more supported theories suggested,” He recites, remembering his textbook word for word. “I also suspect the plague is water based. I have no data on respiratory issues,” He pauses, furrowing his brow. He hasn’t the time for this today. “I suggest you listen to me, I’m a doctor.”

The bird claps its hands. “ _What a coincidence! As I am!”_ It goes for its satchel and pulls out a letter. It’s the mayor’s handwriting. Gakushuu stares in disbelief. _“You must be this town’s doctor the mayor mentioned. If I can be honest, I was expecting someone older.”_

Heat rises in his cheeks as he slowly pieces everything together. “I’m not the real vrach. He is an older man. I’m in the process of earning my bachelor’s in medicine.”

There’s a laugh from behind the mask. _“Not even a real doctor then and yet, you lecture me. Unlike some people here, I have studied both homeopathic and traditional medicine. It allows for a wide range of possible treatments.”_

Gakushuu rolls his eyes, tapping the cigarette’s ash off. “Do all doctors in the capital wear this ridiculous outfit or is it only when you visit towns ravaged by plagues.” It’s not supposed to be funny by the bird’s laugh again.

“ _Your knowledge of miasma theory is so textbook, it pains me,”_ It shakes its head. _“I wear this because there is a plague. The beak has carnations and lavender in them, so I don’t inhale the plague.”_

Gakushuu locks his jaw. This is not what he envisioned when he imagined meeting the capital’s doctor. He flicks his cigarette and grinds it into the street. “If you subscribe to such ideals, meeting with the herbalist would be useful for you. He lives by the riverbank. As for me, I have other patients to see. If you’ll excuse me.”

He leaves, not waiting for a response from the bird doctor. He knows he should’ve arranged a time to compile notes, to catch the doctor up to speed so that he can save people. He knows as soon as he goes home, the mayor is going to lecture him like a child. _Let him,_ Gakushuu broods. _If that is the capital doctor, we are already doomed._

* * *

The day is a long one and Gakushuu feels the exhaustion coming down on him. All he wants is a good plate of food and his bed. Maybe some wine if the mayor opens a new bottle. When he opens his kitchen door, there are two things he notices:

1) The table is set for three

2) There is a stranger at the table

The mayor doesn’t turn around from the stove. “You made good time. This is Akabane. He’ll be boarding with us. Akabane, this is my son. He’s studying to become a doctor.”

Before Gakushuu can register that there’s going to be a stranger living with us. The redhead, _Akabane_ , turns to him and grins lazily. He’s well dressed, as if he were going to worship and is even wearing a gold pendant. “Oh, we’ve already met,” He extends a hand. Gakushuu takes it, confused. He would remember hair like that. “Thank you again for earlier, the botanist _was_ a good idea.”

The penny drops. Ah. So, the birdman had been a man. Gakushuu screws up his nose. Weird herby doctor was to be the one living with him. “Oh. That was… you,” His eyebrow twitches. “The hostel isn’t in the infected district. Is it full?”

The mayor, who is slowly pouring 3 bowls of soup, stares daggers at Gakushuu. Akabane, however, clearly feeds on this type of reaction, judging by the smug look on his face and laidback posture. “That’s no way to treat a guest! No wonder this town has no tourism, you scare them all away.” He sticks out his tongue. Without the mask, his voice is clearer and Gakushuu notices the playful lilt in his voice.

Gakushuu massages his temples. “I apologise. It’s been a long day,” He takes a seat at the table. “It’s probably best you board here anyway. You should have a look at my notes.”

The mayor brings the soup over and it seems like Akabane has had more plague scares than hot meals. “Thank you, this looks amazing,” He says genuinely. “You can make it up to me by _actually_ studying miasma instead of just copying old textbooks, number two.”

“Number two?”

Another grin. “Well, now that I’m here, you’re the second-best doctor in town,” He pauses. “Ah, wait no. The town’s doctor, what is the Steppe word for him? Vrach? I would suggest he’s number two. So that makes you number three.”

Gakushuu feels a vein explode in his head. He never applied his perfectionism to medicine but now that Akabane has mentioned it, it’s all he can think about now. His hand falters and the mayor notices it immediately. Fuck.

The mayor chooses to change the subject, remembering he has real mayor duties to carry out. “Any new deaths?”

“No but the fisherman’s daughter has progressed onto the final stage of infection. I gave her what I could.”

“What did you give her?” Akabane inquires. “I did not realise you were offering treatment.”

_Finally, some good conversation._ “For the later stages of infection, I’ve been giving out heavy duty painkillers. It makes them blackout and less delirious.”

Akabane is quiet for a moment before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small leatherbound book. It looks well used, considering the cracked spine. He flips through the book and hands it to Gakushuu, the open page a diagram of a small bottle. “What is this?”

“I’m originally from down south. There, we call it ‘Green Spectre’. In the capital they call it ‘Angel Tears’. It’s a drink made from fennel seeds,” He pauses to take another sip of soup. “It’s strong, can’t stand the stuff myself. But my mentor back at the Academy swears that in time of extreme illness, it can be used to flush out some disease. It may be worth a shot in cases of late infection.”

Gakushuu studies the page, it’s almost like a recipe. His handwriting is neat, long with loops. There’s messier writing but it’s in a language Gakushuu has never seen before. His curiosity gets the better of him as he flicks through some of the other pages. Anatomical diagrams, train journey times, a recipe for a berry cake and a page listing symptoms of alcohol poisoning. He hands it back, mulling over Akabane’s words. “At this point, it can’t hurt. She’s on death’s door already,” He utters. “The botanist might be able to procure a bottle of the stuff.”

Akabane shakes his head. “No need! I brought some from the capital.” And pulls out a bottle from seemingly nowhere, green liquid sloshing around in a clear, rectangular bottle.

Gakushuu doesn’t read too much into why the capital doctor brought alcohol and finishes his dinner in silence while the mayor informs Akabane on what guidelines he’ll be implementing.

He retreats back to his room and offers Akabane to come when he’s finished so that he can compares notes. Akabane walks in and immediately frowns. “Didn’t strike you as the religious type.”

Gakushuu looks up from his desk, eyeing the mounted bull’s head. He hadn’t even remembered that the capital practiced a different Faith. “Everyone here is. That’s why we don’t eat red meat.”

Akabane stares up at it, scratching his chin. “So… you respect cows so much that you have a dead one on your wall? Seems more like trophy hunting to me.”

“We’re one of the only families to have the right of bone. It is a great honour to display this skull here.”

“Right of bone?” _Finally, something Akabane doesn’t know,_ Gakushuu smiles inwardly. He lets a smug look tug on his lips.

“Only those of the Steppe and of certain status may exhume bone. We are both. You will not be able to dissect anyone while you are here,” He gets up from his seat and walks to his scripture, sat neatly by his bedside. “Here.” He extends it to the redhead.

Akabane spins on his heel, mouth agape. He ignores the book completely. “And how am I supposed to conduct post-mortems if I not able to check a body?”

“ _You_ can’t. I can,” At that, Akabane rolls his eyes. “I am serious. The people will not give you any dead bodies to exhume, no matter how much you ask.”

“Can you give me a special privilege then? Maybe a ‘right of bone’ for a week because, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s a plague sweeping through town?”

“I-.” Gakushuu starts before cutting himself off. As a man of science, he understands where Akabane is coming from. That’s why he’s here, they _do_ need extra help and Gakushuu isn’t fully trained in post-mortem analysis _yet_. However, as a man of Faith, he knows that the scripture is clear on its position of the right of bone. The locals, if they survive this plague, will not be happy with him if he breaks it. He could face exile and father could be disgraced from office.

After a while he speaks again, “I can’t give you such a thing. But” He leans in close to Akabane, notices the others eye colour (mercury with gold flecks). “You can be in the same room while I dissect the bodies. As long as you don’t touch them, it should be fine.”

Akabane continues to stare at Gakushuu, his gaze steady and firm. Gakushuu stares back; he knows how to be intimidating (he learned from the best, after all). “Okay. It’s not ideal but it’ll have to do,” He doesn’t move away. “By the way. You never mentioned your name. Is hospitality not included in your Steppe faith?” He raises an eyebrow, surprisingly well trimmed for a man.

“Gakushuu Asano. Asano is fine,” He answers, not breaking his gaze. “The less time you spend complaining about our practices and focus on the plague, the quicker you’ll be out of here.”

Akabane smiles but there’s no warmth behind it. He’s still staring. Why are they still staring. “Pleasure working with you, half doctor Asano.”


	2. invasion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes, in a pandemic and during uni, u need to write a story about gay little plague doctors and that's okay!!!!
> 
> pls don't ask why i'm currenly churning out fics, am just in the right Vibe rn

The fisherman’s daughter didn’t survive the night, unfortunately. Gakushuu appeared at the crack of dawn with a cart and black paint. He offered his condolences to the family before gentling lifting her body. She was a thin thing, weakened by the plague, no longer fit for life at sea. Her ginger hair falls out in clumps as Gakushuu supports her head.

After he lowered her body on the cart and covered her with a tarp, he painted a large vertical black stripe of paint on the front door, to tally the death. There was 3 other marks on the door.

“ _Your father told me that you’d be here.”_ He hears from behind him and low and behold, Akabane is there, beak and all. He’s skipped the long trench coat today and has opted for a suit jacket, shirt, and dress slacks. He somehow looks sillier without the full get up.

He nods. “She passed away after the clock struck midnight. She’s the first of today and I have a feeling she won’t be the last. Have you met the foreman of the abattoir?”

Akabane shakes his head, dark goggle lens staring soullessly back at Gakushuu, who begins to push the cart. “He has the right of bone, too. He’s the one who’s been looking after the bodies since he knows how to cut meat. If you want to see my previous dissections, I suggest you look there.”

“ _I want to see this one first. If she entered the last stage of infection yesterday, according to your notes, she should’ve lived for a few more days,”_ He paces next to the cart, head lowered. _“Your father mentioned the Steppe folk might not accept my help. Is that true?”_

Gakushuu hums in agreement. “The Steppe are traditional people. Their culture and practices are unlike your own. The general population of them will most likely ignore you. The foreman, however, is of the Steppe but he understands the position we’re currently in. The mayor is Steppe as well and it took many nights of convincing to send for the capital’s help,” He turns off the corner, heading away from the docks district. “No offence, really. As a town, we are content being left alone. The mayor has designed this town’s economy so we’re self-sufficient.”

Akabane chuckles from behind the mask. “ _You’re quite peculiar, you know? It’s not just because of the whole Steppe thing but you speak funny,”_ When Gakushuu doesn’t press further, he continues. “ _You said you’re Steppe yourself and yet, you call the other Steppe folk ‘them’, as if you’re not really one of them. You call your father ‘the mayor’ as well. Very strange indeed.”_ He muses.

Gakushuu doesn’t say anything in response as an itchiness bubbles within him. _Nor the time or the place,_ he decides. He instead changes the subject. “We are headed to the vrach’s lab. All my tools are there from last time.”

“ _The vrach is an interesting man. He insists on calling me by my given name. He is quite joyous,”_ Gakushuu doesn’t correct the pronunciation. _“Unlike some.”_

Gakushuu doesn’t take the bait, knows better than to rise to Akabane’s jabs. He gives him the side eye and wonders about the other’s outfit. “Can you even see in that thing?”

Akabane rubs his goggles, the sound of crinkling leather accompanying the sound of the cart’s wheels turning. “ _Yes. I need to clean them each night though,”_ Gakushuu hears the grin in his voice. “ _You should try it on. It’s comfy and practical.”_

Gakushuu scrunches up his nose. “I’ll pass.” And that’s all he says on the matter. He readjusts his hands on the cart as he focuses on where he’s going. Akabane fills in the silence by blethering away. He tells of the capital, a maze of alleys, houses stacked on one another and young pick pocketers. The fond tone he uses describing the young rascal who tried to take his satchel once makes Gakushuu believe that he was once a street rat.

Akabane catches on quickly that he’s never been to the capital. “ _Wait… have you ever left this town_?” He asks, incredulously.

Gakushuu shakes his head. When he had been younger, more naïve, he’d dream of exploring the world, living in a house of maps and encyclopaedias, seeing the wonders of the world as he met new people. He wonders if young him would ever predict that he’d never even leave the town he was born in, the one he’ll probably die in.

“The mayor has plans for me here. I’m needed here. I have no reason to leave.”

Akabane doesn’t reply to that until they’re outside the vrach’s door. Just as Gakushuu sets the cart down to knock, he pipes up again. “ _Do you want to stay in this town forever or are you just here because of the mayor’s wishes?”_

Gakushuu doesn’t know how to reply to that, doesn’t want to think about answering. Luckily, he doesn’t have to answer as the door opens before he even knocks. The vrach stands tall, even taller than the mayor and the town sheriff. Despite the oppressive atmosphere in this district of town (‘the slums’ the mayor affectionately called it), a cheesy grin on his face. In natural lighting, his hair is less the colour of mustard gas and more the colour of grain. However, he wears it too choppily to be considered acceptable.

“Vrach Koro,” Gakushuu bows his head slightly. “I wish to use your lab. Akabane wishes to see a post-mortem of the recently deceased.”

“Gakushuu, Karma,” Koro returns the bow as Gakushuu frowns at the other name. _Karma_. _Such a capital name._ “ _You_ are welcome, of course. I am… just surprised he is here.” He looks beyond Gakushuu, to take in Akabane.

Gakushuu comes prepared, however, raising a hand. “He won’t touch anything. It is not the best situation, I know, and I will take full responsibility for my actions once the plague has gone,” He fiddles with the chain around his neck. “But I believe this is necessary for the town and I hope the Powers That Be take that into consideration.”

Koro, all knowing look in his eyes, nods his head. “I understand, I understand. I’ll trust you to clean up after yourselves,” Koro lets Akabane in as he leaves. “I have my rounds to make. Good day.” He leaves, practically sprinting. Akabane looks confused as Gakushuu explains that he just walks like that.

The lab is just a spare room, with clean linen hung from the ceiling to act as sheet dividers. Inside, Akabane removes his face covering, his hair a mess. Gakushuu lifts the body onto the table, washes his hand and says a prayer. He sprinkles a small pile of salt on her forehead and picks up a scalpel. Akabane keeps his promise, keeps his distance. Gakushuu feels nervous as he realises, he’s going to be watched for the entire dissection; he’s always done it alone.

He’s about to open the chest with a clamp when he feels hot breath on his neck. He turns his head slowly and meets Akabane’s eyes, staring at the body in front of them. He’s standing flush against him, completely invading his personal space. “What are you-“ He starts but is interrupted.

“You said I can’t touch the body, which is fine,” Akabane’s hands snake around him, softly grasps his wrists. “Can I touch you?”

Gakushuu swallows hard, feels his face heat up but whispers a confirmation. This is… something; his brain too fried to think properly. He’s admittedly touch starved; hasn’t hugged the mayor in years. His hands begin to shake slightly. Akabane notices it. “Easy now. You’re sloppy when it comes to this,” Akabane guides his hands down. “Gently does it.”

The chest is pried open as Gakushuu picks up a small hammer, it shifts uncomfortably in his hand. He takes in a deep breath, reminds himself that he’s a man of science, that he can do this. “I’m going to break some ribcage off so you can observe the bone marrow.” He manages in a steady voice. Akabane rests his head on Gakushuu’s shoulder blade, practically hugging him now.

“In the capital, we use bone saws.” He whispers right into Gakushuu’s ear. A shiver runs through his entire body and he knows Akabane feels it too.

Dismantling the body in order to produce samples of bone, flesh, blood, and organs only takes an hour or so but to Gakushuu, it feels like an eternity. When Akabane feels steps away from him, his vision spins, he’s light-headed, he’s _confused._

Akabane still can’t touch the organs but Gakushuu tilts them for him. He watches the other take notes in a small notebook, scribbling down fast. This is the first time Gakushuu’s seen him actually act like a doctor. It’s… strange.

Then Akabane asks him to taste the blood sample. “What? I’m not doing that! Are you insane?”

Akabane looks at him, a pleading look in his eyes. “Please? It’s for science,” Gakushuu only continues to stare at him, disbelieving. He groans. “To test for viscosity?”

Gakushuu flat out refuses to be so _vile_ to the girl’s blood. He does, however, compromise to drop of tiny volume of it on his fingertip and check viscosity there. He rubs his index and thumb together and when he goes to pull his fingers apart, a long thin ligament of blood connects his two fingers. Akabane seems to have reached a conclusion as he flips through his small notebook.

“Who was it you said held your previous dissections,” He asks as they head down the stairs. “The foreman of the abattoir?”

Gakushuu nods. “His name is Foreman Karasuma. Tell him Asano sent you and he’ll show the bodies,” He watches as Akabane fixes his mask again. “Have you concluded anything yet.”

He shakes his head. “ _No, not yet. But I feel like I’m close to something. If the corpses match up with how I believe they’ll look, I might know what it could be,”_ “ _When I am done, where should I meet you?_ ”

Gakushuu checks the time; it’s about midday. “The courtyard by sun’s end. I’ll be there and we can discuss next steps.”

Akabane signs an ‘ok’ sign and waves goodbye; Gakushuu watches the weird birdman weave in between the streets and soon, he’s out of sight. Gakushuu takes a deep breath, as if he’s been holding it in. He feels his heartbeat and is shocked to find that his heart is going a million miles a minute. He stands in vrach Koro’s house and refuses to leave until his body is back to normal. He reminds himself he has responsibilities to carry out, _people to look after._ He leaves the house, feeling ashamed and confused.

He sees the baker’s son again, paler than he was yesterday but eyes twice as bright. He has gotten any worse but also not any better; he’s still just as sick. Gakushuu gives him some more pills and notices the vial of syrup he’d prescribed is still full. _Probably another day or so until his condition worsens. If Akabane is finished by tonight, then…_

He stops himself there, can’t get caught up in wishful thinking. The art of medicine is as such that one must be a realist, not an optimist. He can’t allow to lose himself in the world of ‘what ifs’ when there’s people here in the present who need him.

After wishing the baker’s son an easy night, he stops by the chemist to collect more pills, he checks up on the farming district, he trades herbs he’d picked for clean water bottles. He even gets heckled at by the local teenage gang for accepting outside help. Just an average day really.

By sun’s end, he’s exhausted but tries not to show it. Has to be strong. Akabane’s already waiting for him at the courtyard. Something’s off though. He’s not wearing the mask and he stands lopsided; more weight being applied to one leg. Gakushuu’s points it out. “You’re standing funny.”

The other waves weakly, clearly not trying to hide his tiredness. “Good to see you too.”

“How was the abattoir? Did you get conclusive results?”

They begin to walk and if Gakushuu didn’t notice the limp by now, it’s painfully obvious now. Akabane practically hobbles alongside him, trailing behind a little bit. “Uh… yeah…”

Gakushuu frowns. “Something’s wrong. What happened? Was it a group of teenagers wearing shoddy linen?” The gang of teenagers who’d previously ridiculed him for known pick pocketers.

Akabane shakes his head, rubs his neck soothingly. “You, uh, never told me the foreman would be like that…”

“Oh, he’s a Steppe elder so I suppose he _could_ be quite standoffish, but he knows the difficult situation we’re in so-“

“Not that!” Akabane exclaims. “He challenged me to a fight?!”

Now, it’s Gakushuu’s turn to exclaim. “What?! Why would he- Did you tell _I_ sent you?”

Akabane throws his hands up in the air. “Yes! And then he started going on about how those not of this land must open their souls to purity in order to be judged by the Powers That Be,” He groans as he tries to keep up with Gakushuu’s fast pace. “So, he challenged me to a fight. He said if I won, I could see your previous dissections.”

“Did you win at least?”

A scoff escapes Akabane’s lips. “ _Well of course._ I was born a street rat; I know how to handle myself. I just didn’t expect to be fighting the very people I’m trying to save.”

Gakushuu feels like he should apologise in some manner but knows that won’t solved anything, won’t help Akabane. “I’ll look at your wounds when we get back. Then, you can tell me what you learned.”

“Who’s says I’m wounded? I won.”

“Your leg tells me the opposite,” He looks down at Akabane’s midriff and grimaces. “And you keep clutching your stomach. A child could tell you’re hurt.”

Akabane laughs genuinely and a small smile appears on his lips. “You’re quite observant.”

Gakushuu rolls his eyes. “Of course, I am. I’m a doctor.” Akabane doesn’t say anything back but does hum softly. Gakushuu suspects he’s trying to save his energy, trying to act tough in front of him. It’s a cute sight.

( _Cute?!)_

Gakushuu beats _that_ thought of out his head as they turn the corner. They’re almost there, almost back to the mayor’s house. As they get closer, Gakushuu sees a red stripe of paint on the front door and his heart stops dead in his tracks.

He’s suddenly hyper-aware of how cold he is, his fingers made of lead. His feet move on their own accord and he finds himself standing in the parlour, nearly crashing into Koro, his usual grin replaced with a solemn look. _No, no no no nonononono._ The vrach opens his mouth to speak and while Gakushuu doesn’t catch all of it, he hears enough.

“Sorry… caught… sick… early days yet… not fit to work…”

He knows this is what his training has led to, all the studying and hard work. This is when he really counts, right now, to take responsibility, help his father, save the town, cure the plague, potentially save the world. He knows what he should do, what his father wants him to do, what the town wants him to do, what Akabane needs him to do.

But he can’t. Can’t be that person. Maybe the vrach or Akabane can but not him. Not right now.

He turns and runs, ignores Akabane’s surprised outburst and lets the feeling of his feet slamming into the bumpy roads align with his racing heart. He runs and runs and _runs._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mandatory conflict machine go brrrr. feels like it was quite obvious someone important to the plot was catching the plague lmao. also i wrote this and still can't tell u why karma did... that. 
> 
> if u enjoyed lmk!!

**Author's Note:**

> vegan gakushuu what will he do next :0 idk when i'll write the next chapter. if i go into lockdown again it'll be sooner rather than later, lmk if u enjoyed !!!


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